Did you know a clogged up, old air filter in your HVAC system could cause massive problems for your unit over time? Imagine yourself trying to draw in a deep breath of air but having a dirty old rag stuck in your throat. Yuck, that probably isn’t going to work out too good for you. Just like you need a clear open airway to breath properly, your HVAC system needs proper air flow via a clean air filter for optimal performance. Here are 4 HVAC air filter tips you need to know to keep your HVAC system in tip top shape.

The right air filter for your HVAC system is dependent on your budget, how clean you want your indoor air quality to be, and the requirements of your particular HVAC system.

• When selecting an air filter, look at your systems requirements. Select a filter within the recommended MERV rating of your system. Getting a filter with a higher MERV rating than your system recommends can restrict air flow to your system, which you will want to avoid.
• If outdoor or pet allergies are a problem in your household, you will want to use the highest MERV rating your system and your budget will allow. 

Around every 90 days you should replace your air filter to help maintain good air flow and keep particles and allergens out of the air you breathe. If you have multiple pets in the home or your air conditioning unit is working harder, like in the summer, you may want to replace your filter sooner than 90 days.

TIP: Grab a sharpie and write the date on your air filter so you know the last time it was changed. Then add a recurring reminder in your phone’s calendar every 90 days to change the air filter.

​When it comes time to change your old, dirty air filter make sure you bring a plastic garbage bag large enough for the filter to fit inside. You’ll want to immediately place the air filter into the plastic bag and tie it shut to avoid any dust or debris escaping back into your home. 

Your air filter not only helps improve the indoor air quality in your home, but it also protects your HVAC system from debris getting into your system’s vital equipment.  For example, if your cooling coil becomes coated in dust, it will prevent heat transfer which results in your HVAC system working harder than it needs to. Over time this can lead to a shortened life of your system.  

Don’t ever leave your system vulnerable. Always replace an old filter with a new one to keep your air intake vent protected for optimal performance.
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If you need professional HVAC help or have indoor air quality questions, feel free to give the experts at Country Air a call at 281-356-8564. We can help recommend specific filters for your system and even replace them if you don’t want to do it yourself. 

Being a homeowner comes with a lot of responsibility. Following through with routine home maintenance will help extend your home’s life and keep its value high. Keep this list handy and refer to it throughout the year to keep your home in tip top shape.
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Country Air is here to help with any HVAC needs you may have throughout the year! We can help with any services on this list in bold. Joining our affordable Comfort Club Maintenance Plan will cover your yearly HVAC maintenance needs. Call us at 281-356-8564 or click here to sign-up today . 

​Your home is a safe space. A place to relax, be yourself and enjoy precious time with your friends and family. You take extra measures to make sure your home stays safe like adding a security system, keeping up with routine maintenance and spraying for pests, for example. But have you ever thought about how the air you breathe in your home could be negatively affecting your family’s health over time? 

Indoor air quality refers to the quality of the air in a home, school, office, or other building environment.
According to the EPA, Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations (1).

​These pollutants can include:

• Fuel-burning combustion appliances
• Tobacco products
• Building materials and furnishings as diverse as:
  • Deteriorated asbestos-containing insulation
  • Newly installed flooring, upholstery, or carpet
  • Cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products
• Products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies
• Poor performing central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices
• Excess moisture
• Outdoor sources such as:
  • Radon
  • Pesticides
  • Outdoor air pollution

Individuals with pre-existing conditions may have a harder time with poor indoor air quality conditions but even a healthy individual may experience symptoms like increased allergies after being continually exposed to poor indoor air conditions.
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Symptoms could include (1):

• Irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat.
• Headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.
• Respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.

Luckily, there are several ways to combat poor air quality conditions in your home or office.

1. Change your air filters regularly. Around every 90 days you should replace your air filter to help maintain good air flow and keep particles and allergens out of the air you breathe. If you have multiple pets in the home or your air conditioning unit is working harder, like in the summer, you may want to replace your filter sooner than 90 days.
2. Schedule an antimicrobial fogging with duct cleaning service. This kills microbes and mildew that may be growing in the air ducts. After fogging it is recommended to have your ducts cleaned to remove the debris which prevents regrowth.
3. Invest in advanced media filters or Air Scrubbing Technology like the Aerus Air Scrubber: These options are designed to filter and kill bacteria, viruses, germs, odors and more as air is pulled through the unit, releasing clean air into your home. 

A licensed HVAC company will be able to go over all the indoor air quality improvement options available and see which one will best suite your family’s budget and needs.
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We offer a wide range of options here at Country Air and are always happy to answer your questions and give free estimates. Give us a call at 281-356-8564. 

​The cooler months are right around the corner which for most Texans is a sigh of relief. Although our heaters aren’t running all the time in the winter here, we do get some days where it is needed (cough, cough Snowmageddon 2021?) That brings us to the topic of the hour: what is a fall heater check for and why is it beneficial to you?

A fall heater check keeps the warranty on your system valid.
Imagine this: a part unexpectedly breaks on your HVAC system, but you’re still covered by warranty, ahh a sigh of relief. But - when you call the warranty department you realize that your warranty is no longer valid – oops. You’ve been DIYing the maintenance on your system instead of leaving it to the professionals and now you have to fork the bill.

You can avoid this headache by simply calling a professional like Country Air to come do the maintenance for you. Most companies offer a maintenance plan that saves you money and offers other perks - like same day service.

Most HVAC manufacturers require proof of annual maintenance so they know the equipment was properly cared for as some of the parts that make an HVAC system work can be costly to replace.

A fall heater check increases the life expectancy of your system.
Your HVAC system is a machine. Just like your car is a machine. You wouldn’t drive your car for 60,000 miles without changing its oil or doing any kind of maintenance on it and expect it to last a long time. The same is true of your HVAC system. It needs routine maintenance to ensure all the parts are working harmoniously together for a long life. 

A fall heater check ensures your HVAC system is running at optimal efficiency and lowers the cost of your energy bills.
A well-oiled HVAC system means your spending less month per month on energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you could see a savings up to 30% on your energy bill. 

A fall heater check helps discover problems before they get worse.
It’s the worst when the crazy Texas weather goes from 80 degrees one day to 30 degrees the next. You turn the heater on, but nothing happens – there goes the heat!
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Routine maintenance checks allow the professionals to find problems in your system before they bust. This means your system is less likely to go down when you need it most and you’ll save money on costly repairs.  

My mom always used to say, “Prior proper planning prevents poor performance.” And well, she is right again with this one. Give us a call at 281-356-8564 to schedule your fall maintenance inspection. We look forward to serving you!

​Your AC works hard to keep you comfortable during hot summer days. These tips will make your AC more efficient and keep your home feeling good all summer long (and here in Texas, you know we are talking through December). 

1. Have a professional come out to do a spring maintenance check before it gets hot. This will ensure your AC system is tuned up and ready to perform wonders all summer long. Regular maintenance also helps to:

• Increase the life expectancy of your system.
• Ensure your HVAC system is running at optimal efficiency and lowers the cost of your energy bills.
• Reveal potential problems before they get worse.

2. Program your thermostat. The less your air conditioner is in use, the less wear and tear it endures and the longer it can last! If you have a programmable thermostat, setting the temperature by day and time is a great way to reduce the unit’s overall usage. Some people think turning their unit off completely while away will result in more energy savings, but this is not true. 

We recommend setting the temperature higher during the time you are away and lower during the time you are home. A few degrees higher than your desired indoor temperature is a good general temperature to set for most homes when you are away.
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Don’t have a programmable thermostat? We highly recommend getting one! You’ll save money in the long run. 

 4. Change your air filters. Changing out your HVAC unit’s air filter is a simple process that many of us don’t do as often as we should. Around every 90 days you should replace your filter to help maintain good air flow and help keep particles and allergens out of the air you breathe.

If you have multiple pets in the home or your air conditioning unit is working harder, like in the summer, you may want to replace your filter sooner than 90 days.

5. Turn off exhaust fans. After cooking or bathing, turn off your exhaust fans once they have been running about 20 minutes. If you ever need to replace your exhaust fans consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise options. Never leave exhaust fans running for long periods of time as it can become a fire hazard. 

5. Draw the curtains. During the hottest part of the day or times when the sun is shining in your home’s windows, keep your blinds closed and shades drawn. This will help keep your home’s interior temperature from rising and keep your AC from running harder than it needs to. Additionally, planting large shade trees or installing awnings on your home with also help to diffuse the sun’s intense heat. 

6. Turn on a fan. If you feel the afternoon heat creeping in, don’t turn down the thermostat just yet. Try turning a ceiling fan on first. This will help to circulate the air and instantly cool you down without making your AC unit run harder. 

7. Check your attic insulation. If you have an older home that is not energy efficient you may want to get your attic inspected to see if you need additional blown in attic insulation. The smaller particles of blown insulation fit tightly in all the nooks and crannies of your attic which provides a superior seal, preventing hot or cold air from entering your home.

8. Upgrade your AC unit. If you are looking to replace your AC unit, consider energy-efficient equipment for the best cost savings long term. Ask your HVAC professional about 2-stage or variable speed options.

If your AC unit still can’t keep up it might be time to get it professionally inspected. A Certified HVAC Technician can easily identify and often fix cooling problems on the spot.
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Country Air provides 24/7 AC service. Give us a call at 281-356-8564 and let us earn your trust. 

A sigh of relief: it always feels good to check that last item off your spring-cleaning to-do list, but check it twice, did you remember to clean your dryer vent?
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It’s not something you probably think about much but cleaning your dryer vent is an important part of routine maintenance in your home.

Here is a step by step of what to expect a professional service to provide:

1. The dryer vent opening is thoroughly inspected, from the inside to the outside where the vent exists the home. If dirt, animal waste or other debris are present around the exit vent opening, they are removed.
2. A rotational brush is then inserted into the dryer vent opening and ran completely through the vent to pull out dust, lint, dirt, and whatever else might have snuck its way past your lint trap (say hello to those two Lego pieces your kid lost a year ago).
3. The area behind the dryer is cleaned (how does it get so dirty back there!?)
4. The dryer lint trap and drum are thoroughly cleaned. 

Your parents probably taught you to clean the lint trap after every load – and they were right! Be sure to pull out all visible lint before you dry a new load and vacuum out any hard-to-reach areas. As far as cleaning the dryer vent, we recommend once per year or more often if:

​You have a large family.
More people in the family = more loads of laundry. The more loads of laundry, the more lint and debris that build up in the vent. If you notice signs that your dryer vent needs to be cleaned, even after getting it done in the same year, it’s a good idea to go ahead and have it done again.
 
You have pets.
Pet hair – it’s everywhere! Especially in your dryer vent after wearing it on your clothes all day. Since dryer vents get clogged more quickly with fur babies present, it’s a good idea to get your dryer vent cleaned more often. 
 
You wash a lot of bedding.
Ever notice how full the lint trap is after washing your favorite blanket? Bulky laundry tends to shed a lot more than your normal weekly load of clothes, so if you do dry a lot of blankets, your vents might become clogged faster.

​Of course! Your local hardware store can provide you with the tools you need to thoroughly clean your dryer vent. But – if the hassle and the mess is something you don’t want to deal with, call a professional like Country Air to come help you out. We offer free quotes and competitive pricing for dryer vent cleaning. Call us today at 281-356-8564.

The hot summer months are right around the corner which means it’s time for spring safety and maintenance inspections on your HVAC equipment. So, what is a spring check for and why is it beneficial to you?